COLOUR VISION

The alluring jewel tones that designer Laura Stephens adorned this modern 1980s home with have given it depth and a wonderful sense of character

- WORDS RUTH CORBETT PHOTOGRAPHY BOZ GAGOVSKI

Colour does not add a pleasant quality to design – it reinforces it.’ So said the French painter and lover of bold colour, Pierre Bonnard. It's a sentiment that might have resonated with the owner of this west London home, as she considered its spacious, but somewhat characterless interior. Built in the 1980s, it had worn – bar the occasional pop of colour – an almost entirely grey scheme for some decades. ‘Colour, pattern and flow were my client's priorities for her redesign,’ explains interior designer Laura Stephens. ‘She was yearning for some vibrancy.

Laura's client found her on Instagram and she was drawn to her use of colour to create warmth, an element she felt was missing from the house at the time. ‘Her children had left home and she was ready to give the place a thorough revivify – one that would bring cohesion to her treasured collection of furniture and art, while injecting bold hues, pattern and character into every room,’ says Laura.

The house had good proportions, generous lateral space and an abundance of natural light. ‘The ground floor is essentially open plan, with hall, kitchen, dining and living spaces flowing into and out of each other,’ says Laura. ‘But it was all a bit muddled. We rejigged the layout and introduced some smart zoning to help better demarcate the different areas.’